KENNEBUNK — The Linc Stackpole Manager-of-the-Year Award was presented to Kennebunk Town Manager Barry Tibbetts during the Maine Town and City Management Association conference.

The award recognizes one person each year from a pool of 175 county, city and town managers from across the state. Sanford Town Manager Mark Green nominated Tibbetts for the award. 

“Barry recently championed and brought to fruition a reconstruction of Kennebunk’s Main Street. This involved dealing with controversial issues with various citizens groups during a time of economic downturn,” Green said. “One of the most important contributions to the region was the leadership role Barry played in renegotiating the waste disposal contract with Maine Energy Recovery.”

The award is named for the late Lincoln Stackpole who served as Machias Town Manager from 1970 until his death in 1977. About 30 members of Tibbetts’ family, friends, co-workers and town selectmen traveled to Phippsburg for the presentation. 

Al Searles, chairman of the Kennebunk Board of Selectmen, said Tibbetts has helped Kennebunk move forward despite the economy. 

“While keeping our municipal mil rate at near flat level, he has helped reconstruct our downtown and pushed forward in the efforts to fill the few remaining empty storefronts,” Searles said, thanking Tibbetts for his work.